Sing For the Moment
by thepandathatrawrs
Summary: Nearly every moment of our lives can fit itself into a song. George/Hermione.
1. I Dare You To Move

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter; they are J.K Rowling's. Also, the lyrics (the passages in italics) are not mine; the music is called I Dare You to Move by Switchfoot. Only the plot is mine.

**A/N:** This is not a one-shot- I repeat, this is not a one-shot. I'm planning this to have at least one or two more chapters, but the idea right now is that all of them will be song-fictions connecting to the same story. Read and Review please!

George Weasley was lying on his bed, staring at the blank ceiling wall in his room. This used to be his brother's room as well. The bed next to his not far off was still the same state, the dust piling on steadily while the posters of Quidditch teams started fraying around the edges. Everyday it hurt to be in this room, yet he stayed. He wanted to hurt, to feel the pain clutch at his heart, because it was the only thing he allowed himself to feel, apart from guilt. Almost everyday when he was not lounging around feeling down, he bitterly wished that it was him that got blasted by that damned wall during the wall.

A small knock made him incline his head towards the door, but he did not do anything else. It was probably one of his family members or friends trying to get him out. The Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes was currently being run by Ron, and it was still fine. And as long as the business was fine, George was going to stay in his room or in the flat above the store as much as he could. He only came down to eat for a minute or to pass Ron his new inventions half-heartedly. Nonetheless, they were still a success.

The knocking was getting louder and louder, until it sounded like the person was sending a barrage of fists against the door.

"George Weasley! I know that you're in there!"

He blinked a couple of times, slightly surprised. Oh, it was Hermione. He never knew that she could hit anything without hurting herself in the process, but there she was; ready to break the door down.

"For Merlin's sake! I want an answer!"

Of course he did not reply. He heard a clear, exasperated sigh from the opposite wall. "Look, if you're still alive and kicking, throw something against the door please."

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face for the first time in months, though it disappeared as quickly as it came. Looking for something insignificant to break, he found his alarm clock that did not work. Throwing it with accurate aim, it hit the door with a loud '_thud_'. The clock bounced off with barely a dent on its side.

"Okay, not a good idea to encourage him to throw things around," he heard her mutter. Again, he smiled. She cleared her throat, and spoke once more. "George, can I come in?"

He glared at the door, knowing quite well that she could not see him. He heard her sigh again, frustrated. "I won't ask you to throw something again. Just say yes or no, and I'll leave you alone for today."

"Bugger off," his voice was barely above a croak, but she seemed to have heard him. Grumbling about 'rude manners', he heard her storm down the stairs. Shaking his head, feeling bemused, he took a long glance at Fred's bed. He remembered how Fred would sit on the bed crossed legged, either ranting about some brilliant idea he had, or biting numerous Chocolate Frogs' heads off.

'I wish you were here,' he thought wistfully, a sudden pang appearing on his chest. Fighting back the hot tears, he let his head fall on his pillow and was soon in a restless sleep.

He woke up, what felt like minutes after his sleep, from the banging against his door _again_. The sunlight was streaming through his window. 'Bloody hell!' He thought groggily, not happy from the annoying noise. He was very sure that it was Granger who was causing this, just like yesterday.

"Look, I would very much appreciate it if you weren't trying to break my door down!" He shouted, rubbing his eyes and yawning widely. The ruckus ceased immediately, but there was a series of shuffling feet, which the sound was equally irritating, albeit quieter. Grumpily, he jumped out of his bed and headed straight for the door, yanking it open with unnecessary force.

Sure enough, Hermione Granger was standing there, a hand on her waist. "What do you want?" He snapped uncharacteristically. She looked taken aback for a moment, but regained herself almost immediately. She tilted her head upwards to meet his eyes.

Her glare equaled his own, and despite himself, he was amused. "I'm here to talk with you," she snapped back. He mentally kicked himself for getting the door; he should have just left her be. 'Maybe I can Disapparate myself out of here…'

"Don't even think about it," she said coolly, as if she heard his thoughts. He barely held back a wince. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley still haven't cancelled out the spell that stops you from Apparating or Disapparating yourself from this house. Good idea, if you ask me."

He scowled, and started to close the door, when Hermione managed to slip in the room. Shutting the door behind them swiftly, she turned to him, determination etched on her face. "I'm going to stay here until we talk _properly_, and I know that you won't manhandle a girl to get her out of your room. So might as well get this over with, George. Don't even think about running out of here either," she added as an afterthought.

"Who said I wouldn't manhandle a girl?" he asked under his breath darkly. She ignored him and sat wisely on his bed, avoiding Fred's. She waited for him patiently to sit next to her. After a long moment of tense silence, he grudgingly obliged. He waited for her to do something.

Before he turned his full attention to her, she hugged him tightly. His blue eyes widened in shock. In truth, he was not sure of what she would do. Yell, was a definite; he had seen what she could do when she was angry, thanks to Ron. Give him a ten minute prep-talk, even. Whatever he expected Hermione to do, George was certainly was not prepared _this_. He sat there dumbly, letting her draw him closer.

"George," she whispered in his ear, trembling slightly. Involuntarily, he wrapped his arms around her. It was a common gesture of comfort he would give anyone during the war. Back then, if someone shivered, it was not because of the cold air, but because of fear that chilled them right down to their bones. "Please come back."

"But I'm here," he could not remember saying those words. She scoffed slightly, but a sob building in her throat ruined the effect. Her bushy hair tickled his chin as she buried her face into his broad shoulders.

"No, you're not. You don't joke, you don't smile, you don't even speak! You just mope around, occasionally making inventions, and yes, the inventions are genius, but you don't enjoy making them like you used to! We need you back. We know that you're hurting… all of us are. But we learned how to cope, how to deal with them, although not completely," her whispers were tender now, soft and muffled. "Mrs. Weasley… she's almost back to her normal self, she tries so hard for the family. But you can tell it hurts her as much as it hurts you right now that you're the only child of hers that is depressed."

She put him at an arm's length, looking at him straight in the eye. He stared back unwaveringly. Her warm brown eyes were tainted with agony, and it struck him then how much pain everyone was going through. But just… not as much as him. After all, he lost his twin, his brother, _his best friend._ Who could know such a pain?

His jaws clenched, and he stiffened in hot anger. No, nobody, not even Hermione knew what he was going through. Understanding his sudden stillness, she gave him a sad look before rising, releasing him from her grip. Swiftly, she placed a kiss on his forehead, and walked out with an air of dejection. The door clicked quietly behind her.

Nobody could explain what happened next, not even him. It felt like a dormant flame had finally burst, roaring through his veins. His brain was fogged up; he did not bother thinking clearly. He clawed at Fred's untouched bed, trying to tear it with his bare hands. With an animalistic roar, he pulled out his wand and flung every destroying hex or curse he could think of around the room. The walls cracked, the desks toppled over. Posters over Fred's bed fluttered wildly as if a tornado hit them.

Everyone down in the kitchen eating lunch, apart from Hermione, looked up at the stairs, alarm showing on each face. Harry had jumped up, but Ginny pulled him back down. "George," her voice shaking. Mr. Weasley buried his face in his hands, and Mrs. Weasley slumped onto a chair, her face chalky-white.

George dimly registered that Hermione was still there, outside his room, leaning against the door. She was sobbing, he could tell. Maybe it was the silent crying that punctured his heart even more. But when his eyes fell on Fred's now destroyed bed, all thoughts of her was wiped off.

"WHY FRED?! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DIE?! WHY COULDN'T IT BE ME?! DAMN IT FRED?! WHY DID YOU BLOODY LEAVE ME?!"

_Welcome to the planet  
Welcome to existence_

_Everyone's here  
Everyone's here_

He started yelling himself hoarse, not caring about the pins he felt in his throat. He collapsed onto his twin's bed, punching the mattress. Sobs erupted through his body, shaking him violently. "Why Fred? Why…" His voice started to trail off when his eyes fell upon the bottle of sleeping pills. He took them very rarely. 'Didn't Muggles commit suicide this way?' the thought made him laugh hollowly.

Still shaking slightly, he forced himself to walk towards the bottle of pills. Rattling the bottle, he emptied half the bottle onto his palms. 'This should be enough.' And without hesitation, he swallowed all of them. He went back to Fred's bed, and laid there, the dust not disturbing him. He started to feel drowsy, and the walls started to spin too quickly for his eyes to adjust. Closing his eyes, he tumbled into the darkness.

_Everybody's watching you now  
Everybody waits for you now  
What happens next?_

_I dare you to move  
I dare you to move_

_I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor_

"Merlin, is that you, George?!"

The familiar voice that he longed to hear after all these months woke him up. Deftly, he stood on his feet, his eyes drowning the sight of Fred standing in front of him.

"FRED! YOU PRAT!"

He flung himself onto his brother, who embraced him back clumsily. George soon reluctantly pulled himself away from his brother, coughing sheepishly. "Um, I missed you."

Fred ran his fingers through his hair, looking torn. "I missed you too, George. You have no clue how much I miss you and the family."

He took a look around. "Where are we anyways?"

_I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
Like today never happened  
Today never happened before_

"Heaven."

"_Heaven?"_

Fred ruffled George's hair lightly. "Whadda think this place was, bro? I wasn't that bad in my past life, although we both tried to cross the line now and then."

"I dunno, a dream, I guess," his face broke into the grin so wide that it ached his mouth. "But this is much better than I expected."

Fred gave him an odd look. It then occurred to George that Fred was not so… enthusiastic about his brother being with him. "George, you're _dead_." He said slowly.

The other twin shrugged. "Well, duh, I have to be, or else you wouldn't be next to me." Oh, how strange it was that he could accept his brother's death now!

"_George._"

His brother's oddly strained voice made him frown. "What?"

"You idiot," he said, sighing. "As much as I love, and I really mean _love_ having you here with me so that we can be 'Fred and George, the Weasley twins' again, I can't be selfish. You shouldn't be here."

George furrowed his brows. "What?!"

Gesturing to the ground below him, Fred spoke, "Here's what the situation's like right now down there. You have just taken an overdose of sleeping pills on _purpose_," he broke off to give him a glare. "-which is the most stupid thing you could have ever done, and Hermione found out. The whole family moved you to St. Mungo's after dad got rid of that pesky spell which stops anyone from Apparating and Disapparating."

The image below them showed exactly what Fred was saying. Hermione was bending over him in the white room, while a Healer was waving their wands in a complicated manner.

_Welcome to the fallout  
Welcome to resistance  
The tension is here_

_The tension is here  
Between who you are and who you could be  
Between how it is and how it should be_

"I'm afraid you all need to leave this room," a blond Healer stated calmly. One by one, the Weasleys and Potter trumped out; Hermione refused to budge from his side.

"Ms. Granger, you'll have to stay outside."

"No."

"If you do not stay out now, I will have to get you out of this room by force."

"I don't care."

Disapprovingly, she pried Hermione away from George's side and pushed her out of the door. The door closed on Hermione's face loudly. George saw Harry come up and place a 

hand on her shoulder. Closing her eyes, she leaned against him. Bill paced around the corridor agitatedly, Charlie was knocking his head against the wall, Mr. Weasley was trying to comfort Mrs. Weasley, Ginny was biting her fingernails, and Percy held his head in his hands.

His family had never looked so broken.

_I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor_

"Bloody idiot," he heard Harry say as he patted Hermione's bushy hair. "Why George would do something like that, I'll never understand… Uh, Hermione? What are you doing?"

She shook off Harry and clenched her fist so tightly that her knuckles grew white. In a blink of an eye, she threw herself at the door, thumping it with all her might. "I have a dare for you, George Weasley! I have a freaking dare for you!"

Everyone including the people passing by, whether it was a Healer or a patient, stared at her in astonishment. Mrs. Weasley burst into a fresh batch of tears. Ron came behind her and tried to hold Hermione and pull her away from the door. She struggled difficultly, trying to release her arms. She started shouting with desperation lacing her words, grief plainly etched on her delicate face.

"I dare you to move! I dare you to live like you used to, I dare you to move or so help me I will NEVER forgive you!"

The door opened again, a male Healer sticking his head out. His eyes fell on Hermione, who stood with a rocky expression. "Will you stop it with the deafening sound?!" He inquired rudely. Without waiting for a reply, his head disappeared, shutting the door. George briefly sympathized for the door. Poor thing.

Her arms fell limply to her sides, and Ron let go of her uncertainly. Her jaws were locked, but her caramel eyes were ablaze. Tears welled up, yet refused to spill over. Her mouth barely moved as she whispered, "I dare you."

_I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
Like today never happened  
Today never happened before_

"I think you need to go back down there, bro," Fred said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'll meet you one day again, I swear, but it's not your time yet." Shaking his head, he helped George up. "Nope, definitely not your time yet. So go back."

George's face crumbled. "But you have no idea how hard it is-"

"Yes I do, you arse. I'm your twin, and I see you all everyday. And it breaks me to see you like that, mate." Fred suddenly pulled him to a hug again. He spoke fiercely. "Live and love 

while you can. I'll miss you- _hell_, I miss you every damned day, along with everyone else. So live for me and most importantly, _live for yourself_."

Nodding, Fred let him go. "Close your eyes, lie down, and try being in tune with them. Don't try coming up here again, or I'll whip your arse."

Chuckling, he did what Fred told him to do. "I miss you."

"I miss you too."

He could barely make up his brother's voice now. '_No!_' he thought, panicking.

'Let go, you git. I love you, and tell them that I love and miss them all. I'll always be watching you guys, and for bloody sake, run that shop properly now! And remember that I'm happy up here, so there's no reason for you to not be as well,' his voice started echoing, as if he was speaking from a great distance.

'Will do…'

_Maybe redemption has stories to tell  
maybe forgiveness is right where you fell  
Where can you run to escape from yourself?_

He could see a dull red-orange light through his eyelids. He felt oddly disorientated, his arms and legs feeling detached from his body. With a groan, he made his eyes flutter open, regretting it instantly when the white glare from the ceiling lights hit him. His stomach churned and he felt nauseated. Without thinking, he leaned over to the side of his bed and heaved.

Out of nowhere, he found that he was holding an empty bucket in his hands. Not giving it another thought, he vomited out the contents of whatever he ate last. He had never thrown up this badly since his and Fred's last, unfinished (though that did not bother him- on the contrary, he was still proud that they walked out on that foul Umbridge thing) year at Hogwarts, using themselves as lab rats to perfect the Puking Pastilles. Even testing out the Edible Dark Marks they invented, since they only had to try it once.

"Urg, that was horrible," he managed to say feebly. He noticed that the male Healer was standing next to him, looking slightly sick from the sight of well… _sick_. Giving him a look of disgust, George punched him squarely in the nose. There was a loud crack, and the Healer reeled back, clutching his nose.

"Ow, what the hell?!"

"That's for being a jerk to Hermione," he said grimly, standing up. Another Healer came to him.

"Mr. Weasley, your condition isn't good, you need to go back to bed-"

He snorted, though not unkindly at her bewildered face. "I'm sorry, but I just emptied out 

everything that was in my stomach, so there won't be another chance of half-digested food coming out of my mouth. Besides, I've had worse."

Before anyone could protest, he strode outside.

_  
Where you gonna go?  
Where you gonna go?  
Salvation is here_

George shifted his weight to one leg, feeling eyes of blue, green, and brown drill a hole into him. He cleared his throat. Nobody moved.

"Uh, hi?"

He would have been thrown back into the room at the force of his mother's hug if he was not anticipating it; but he was, and he merely staggered before planting his feet firmly on the ground. George let her soak his shirt (which was St. Mungo's clothes, so he did not mind). He tried consoling his mother from her hysterical weeping, only making it worse.

"A little help here?"

His father came over, looking tired and drained. "I'm sorry," George said, feeling the remorse taking over his body. Mr. Weasley placed a warm hand on his boy's shoulder, smiling slightly.

"Never do that again."

_I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor_

George nodded silently, and felt his father squeeze his shoulders. Kissing her son's cheek affectionately, an admittedly wetly, she let her husband lead her away to the Healers to excuse him from the hospital. Ron hurried up to George, Hermione, Harry, and his siblings trailing behind.

When Ron did not say anything, George put on an exaggerated pout and spoke lightly. "Aw, ickle Ronnikins doesn't want to give his oh-so-handsome brother a hug?"

"Shut up," he said, turning red. Charlie pushed past him, speaking in an overly-obnoxious voice.

"I'll give you a hug, my dear brother," and while saying so, he crushed his brother into a hug that could rival his mothers. Bill joined into the cuddle, trying to pick up both of them up. They managed to fall into a heap of bodies on the ground, rolling around and shouting in a brotherly fashion. Ron and Harry exchanged looks before tackling them.

Percy, Hermione, and Ginny stood, watching them. Percy was tutting, and Hermione stood there, worried. "Do you think they'll get hurt?" She asked Ginny. She shrugged, and quickly 

threw herself into the group. More laughter rang through the corridor.

"Now, now, get off the floor sweethearts," Mrs. Weasley said fondly. "George, you're discharged."

"Thanks, mother dear," he said, grinning. Everyone stood up, panting slightly with their faces red. Every face, even Hermione and Percy's, had smiles. The atmosphere was bright and cheery, just like it used to be before the war.

_  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
Like today never happened_

_Like today never happened  
Today never happened before_

He spotted her sitting by the window, reading a book intently. In fact, she was so engrossed in it that she did not hear him enter the kitchen, nor see him creep upon her.

"Honestly Hermione, I can't believe you find a book more interesting than me."

She gave out a small squeak, the book tumbling from her hands. Seeing George pull up a chair next to her, she put a hand over her chest. "Don't do that," she said a little breathlessly. He smiled mischievously before agreeing.

There was a comfortable, short silence before he spoke. "You know, I never thanked you."

She looked at him quizzically, waiting for him to continue. He let out a breath that he did not know that he was holding, suddenly feeling nervous. "So I'm thanking you. For almost bashing down my door, which by the way, has fallen now after your multiple attacks on it," she blushed, looking apologetic, but not saying anything in fear that he would not continue. "Most importantly, I want to thank you for daring me. Daring me to move… daring me to live."

He was sitting smack next to her now, gazing into her face. She flushed deeply, her eyes darting everywhere except for his face. Gently, almost like a caress, he tenderly cupped her face and eased it upwards. She still refused to meet his eyes.

George chuckled slightly, his face edging closer to hers. "I'm not that bad looking, you know," he said teasingly. Rolling her expressive honey-brown eyes, she finally met his blue ones.

"You'd be surprised," she murmured. Chuckling again, he kissed her fully on the lips as she closed her eyes in contentment.


	2. Written In The Stars

George looked into Hermione's brown eyes as they sat on a bench in the park, a cool breeze tickling their faces. It was night time, a display of stars scattered brilliantly upon the dark sky. It was a perfect night. He cleared his throat nervously, grinning at the girl beside him. She flashed him a small smile back, curious to know what he was about to say.

The trees around them rustled quietly, gently whispering amongst themselves. Nobody else was in the park; it was just the two of them. He was glad. This was a special moment for him, and he did not want any disturbance. Never breaking off from her gaze, he lightly traced Hermione's lips, marveling how her full her lips were, how soft they were under his touch. He saw that her eyes were quizzical, yet she refrained herself from saying anything. Somehow, she knew that this was different from their usual dates.

Without a word, he withdrew his hand, slipping it in his pocket. Swiftly, he took out a small pill and handed it to her. This time, her eyes were suspicious as she held it. He just nodded, reassuring her silently that this was one of his safe products. They rarely needed words to communicate with each other; they understood one another perfectly just by their eyes or looks. Sighing, she popped it in her mouth. He waited eagerly, almost like a child, to see her expression.

He knew what those pills were; they were Memory Sweets. The owner could place as many memories they wanted in that one sweet to share with another person. The candy changed flavor to suit the person's taste. It saved time from explaining and gave an acute picture of the memory placed within. Watching her face light up in wonder, he knew what memories she was experiencing. He started reliving those memories himself, without the help of his product.

"_So..."_

_Her tentative voice brought him back to Earth. He had just kissed Hermione Granger in the kitchen. Hermione Granger, who was supposed to be the girl his youngest brother, Ron, liked for years. He smiled at her wryly, standing the opposite of her so that he was facing her. _

"_What did I just do?"_

_Hermione's shy expression shifted immediately to a defensive scowl. "You kissed me," she said dryly, thinking that he regretted it. She regarded him with hurt eyes, and he quickly spoke._

"_I know; I was just in shock."_

_When she rolled her eyes and made a move to stand, he realized that he made it worse. Stumbling over one of the lumps in the carpet, he held her shoulder, carefully keeping her on her seat. She glared at him._

"_Oh for Merlin's sake, Hermione! It wasn't a bad shock; in fact, it was a very blissful state of surprise."_

_He kneeled down in front of her, so that they were looking at each other eye-to-eye. She was biting her lip, regarding him with uncertainty. He grinned._

"_Are you sure?"_

_This time, it was his turn to roll his eyes good-naturedly at her. "Yes, I'm sure. I wouldn't ever take it back, though it doesn't make the top three kisses in my life," He winked at her, before adding, "Though we could work on that later."_

_She hit his shoulder playfully, a reluctant smile appearing on her face. Silence settled on them, although it was pleasant. The sunshine was filtering through the window, falling on their figures. George noticed that she had natural honey colored highlights in her hair, and wondered how he missed them._

"_What… what are we now?" She asked, blushing faintly. He adored how she looked when she was embarrassed._

"_Human," he said teasingly, causing her to hit his shoulders once more. Laughing, he kissed her forehead. "What do you want us to be?"_

_He studied her face carefully, waiting for her response. Finally, she spoke. "I want to be your girlfriend."_

"_Aw, dang," he said, though his eyes lit up brilliantly from joy. "And I wanted to be the girlfriend in this relationship."_

_Growling slightly in frustration and amusement, she flung herself at him, hugging him fiercely. Laughing once more, he hugged her tightly, wishing to never let go._

He heard her chuckle, though her eyes were glazed over, not seeing anything but the memories. That was one of the days he would never forget in his life; the day he found his love in an unexpected person. He frowned slightly at the last thought. 'No,' he decided firmly to himself. 'It wasn't unexpected. She was there all the time- I was just a fool not to see her earlier.' Seeing Hermione's blank face, he remembered that the transition from one memory to another took five seconds at the most. He let himself slip into the same memory that his girlfriend was seeing.

_Someone rapped on the door sharply, distracting George from the potion he was brewing. Sighing impatiently, he yelled, "Come in!" without looking up from the boiling cauldron. 'Stir once clockwise, three times anti-clockwise, once quickly, once slowly. Repeat four times,' he thought, concentrating on the potion. 'Stir once clockwise, three anti, once quick, once slow-,'_

"_Merlin's beard, George! I'm right here!"_

_Not aware of how close Hermione was, he yelped in surprise, almost spilling his concoction. Fortunately, he did not mess it up. Glaring at her, he put one hand over his heart, while the other one kept on stirring cautiously. "You scared me!" he accused her. She made a face at him._

"_Is this how you usually treat your girlfriends?" She asked, earning another glare from George. Without waiting for an answer, she sat on a high stool, watching him. He continued to stir, muttering, "Wait for a few moments, I'm almost done."_

_He was quickly absorbed in his stirring again, not noticing that Hermione was no longer sitting. 'One clockwise, three anti, one quick, one slow. Three more times. One clock, three anti, one quick, one slow. Two more. One clock, three anti, one quick, one slow. Last one. One clock, three anti, one quick, one slow- ARGH!"_

_He finally noticed that Hermione was staring at him intently with eyes that were magnified a thousand times, and her eyes were distorted to a reddish-yellow color. This time, he really did spill his cauldron, but Hermione, as efficient as she was, already had her wand out and stopped the flow in mid-air. Bottling the substance in several empty flasks, she grinned at him._

_After he passed his small heart attack, he realized that she was wearing one of the Muggle products that he made; Enlarging Eyes. "Take it off," he said weakly, slumping onto the ground. Giggling, she did so, and flopped down next to him._

"_I never took you to be one easily afraid," she teased, her now normal brown eyes colored with mirth. Childishly, he stuck out a tongue._

"_What if I wasn't done with the potion?" He demanded, watching as the flasks set themselves safely on the desk. She shrugged._

"_I knew you were done; I was watching."_

_He groaned. Of course she was watching. And she would know if he was finished or not. Folding his arms tightly around his chest, he exaggerated a pout. "Yes, well. Now that I'm done, why are you here?"_

_Standing up, she helped George to his feet. "I wanted to drop by to see if you wanted to get ice-cream with me. I'm not allowed to do that with my boyfriend?" She feigned hurt, shaking her head sadly. Her eyes were pleading._

_Caving in, he sighed. "Let's go already," he said, grabbing her arm and leading them out of the apartment. He almost fell backwards by her sudden halt. Before he could protest, she held onto him firmly before Disapparating with him. _

_When he was aware of his surroundings, he saw that they were in a dark alley way. "I didn't want anyone to see us," she said coolly, grinning. She slipped her arm into his. "C'mon, I want to get myself a strawberry ice cream!"_

_He relented, letting her drive themselves through the massive crowd that seemed to suddenly appear out of nowhere. When they arrived to Hermione's favorite ice cream booth, he let Hermione order, as she already knew what flavor he liked. After paying, she handed him the mint chocolate chip ice cream. Kissing her sweetly on the mouth as thanks, he quickly tasted his ice cream, letting it melt in his mouth. _

_Walking together with linked arms while finishing their ice creams, they ended up sitting on a bench that over-looked a playground. Kids were running all over the place, screaming and yelling in delight. George lazily placed an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "Nice place, isn't it?" He said pleasantly. She nodded in agreement._

"_You know, I've always liked these kinds of places," Hermione blurted out suddenly, a tinge of red coloring her cheeks. George glanced at her, bemused. "It radiates such a nice atmosphere; I would think that it's a great place for special occasions."_

"_I guess I know where to take you for dates then," he said, smiling widely. She smiled back, resting her head on his broad shoulders. He closed his eyes, relishing the warmth and love he felt for the girl._

He had registered the small piece of information in his head. They had not gone to parks for a while, so it seemed like a perfect excuse to come to this spot. He gingerly took out the ring from the small cushion that filled up the black box. He waited patiently for Hermione to relive the last memory. He smiled an easy smile. This was one memory that Hermione didn't know about.

_He was sitting on the sofa, working on how many more fireworks he would have to make to replace the sold ones. He frowned slightly, noticing how popular it was despite how long ago it was since it was invented. That would mean that he would have to work harder at creating more of them, which took a long time. "I have sand dust, everlasting fire, but no dragon scales…" he said thoughtfully to himself, tapping the quill on his chin._

"_What about dragon scales, dear?" Mrs. Weasley said dangerously, leaning against the doorframe. He looked up, startled, before he swiftly stood and strode across the room to his mother. _

"_Why, hello, Mother dearest," he said innocently, kissing her cheeks. Mrs. Weasley stared at him with suspicious eyes, seeing past his innocent act. She had, after all, raised two children who would prank on everybody as soon as they were born._

"_Don't make me repeat myself," she said warningly, her eyes thinning. George gulped, and discreetly stuffed the list into his back pocket. After a minute of silence, she threw up her hands in the air in exasperation, and George allowed himself to grin. She ushered him into the kitchen and made him sit on a chair._

"_George, there is something I have been meaning to talk to you about for a long time," his mom began, eyeing him dangerously as if daring him to interrupt her. Wisely, he kept his mouth shut. "You've been going out with Hermione for two years, am I right?"_

"_Two years, five months, three days," he amended cheekily. His mother let out a puff of air, trying to ignore him._

"_Two years is a long time, and I was wondering if you were planning to settle in with her."_

_He was confused. "You want me to live with her? But you won't allow it unless we're married!"_

_She fiddled with her red hair idly. "You're not getting my point, darling."_

_It took him a moment to rack his brains- then it hit him. "You want me to marry her?" he asked, almost falling off his chair in surprise. His mother nodded silently. _

"_Think about it," she carried on soothingly. "You love her that much, and you two are practically joined hip-to-hip. Don't you want to have a future with her, and children?"_

_He groaned. "Mom, don't you already have enough grandchildren?"_

_She placed her hand on her hip, making him think that she was uncannily looking like Hermione when she got angry. Or was it Hermione looking like his mom? Either way, it made him want to scoot his chair back, away from danger. "Two is not enough, George Weasley," she said, annoyed. "Besides, you love her, and you forever will. Isn't that an enough reason for you two to tie the knot?"_

_Now that he was over his initial shock, his mom painted a picture in his head. Hermione, looking beautiful as always, giving him a kiss by the doorway. Little children with dark red hair running up to him, trying to tell him the pranks they pulled on their mother. He smiled at the picture. He wondered how he never thought of proposing in the first place. His mother, noticing her son's smile, suddenly kissed him on the head softly like a little child._

"_You'll do the right thing," she said fondly, and started working in the kitchen, making pots dance towards her. He just sat there dumbly, before he rushed out, looking for a place to buy rings. His mother smiled at his sudden departure._

Hermione's eyes finally became clear, yet she seemed like she was frozen in place, still replaying the last memory over and over again. Casually, he held her hands, and slipped the ring into her palm. Her fist clenched involuntarily over it without looking at the ring. She was still in her daze.

George chuckled, his blue eyes dancing. "Are you ever gonna take a peek, love?"

Numbly, she uncurled her fingers, looking at the ring that sparkled in the faint moonlight. The ring was elegant with a silver band that entwined a finely cut, dainty diamond in the middle. She gasped, and he took back the ring, falling on one knee in front of her. She was looking at him with unfathomable eyes.

**Stay with me  
Don't fall asleep too soon  
The angels can wait for a moment**

"Hermione…" he began, his voice ringing clearly in the quiet night. "I could have placed more memories in that sweet, more memories of us two together, more memories of my happiness that I have gained because of you. But if I did, you would be seeing my memories for an infinite amount of time. And that wouldn't do, because I would never be able to propose to you like I'm doing now." He paused to see something shimmer in her eyes. Her face was beaming. He winked at her.

**Come real close  
Forget the world outside  
Tonight we're alone  
It's finally you and I  
It wasn't meant to feel like this  
Not without you**

**  
** "You were the one that managed to crack me when I built a wall around myself after Fred's death," he said, his face peaceful. He could talk about it without pain, without grief. "You were the one who brought me back to life- both in the literal and figurative sense. Because of you, I am here, healthy and alive. If you weren't there to save me… well, I don't know if I would be here at all." Hermione shuddered slightly at the thought, and he grimaced as well.

"You made me who I am today. I have never loved anyone as much as I love you, and I doubt I would have found someone who I would care for more than you. I'm indescribably _glad_ that you love me as much as I love you. I can't imagine my life without you."

**Cos when I look at my life  
How the pieces fall into place  
It just wouldn't rhyme without you  
When I see how my path  
Seem to end up before your face  
The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Was written in the stars  
**

"Before, every girl that I went out with never felt right. It was like they were lacking everything you had. Intelligence, wit, looks, kindness, generosity, selflessness, and so much more. You fill in the little empty spots in my heart… you're my miracle."

When he looked into her brown eyes, he almost forgot what he was about to say. So many emotions were burning within those chocolate orbs, so intense and full of meaning. Pausing, he kissed her soft hands. There was no hooting of owls, or the rustle of leaves. It felt like everything was looking away purposely, to give them this intimate moment to themselves. He was grateful.

Hermione was still smiling down at him with tears gathering her eyes.

**Don't be afraid  
I'll be right by your side  
Through the laughter and pain  
Together we're bound to fly  
I wasn't meant to love like this  
Not without you  
**

"There will be days where we will bicker. After all, sometimes we clash. But I'll always be there for you, through the hard times and the pain; like what you did for me. I'll be your rock, a shoulder for you to lean on eternally. I'll try to understand your crazy ideas and I'll comfort you whenever you need it.

"Because of you, my dear Hermione Granger, my life is filled with laughter and joy every day. Even if I catch a glimpse of you for a tiny fraction of a second, I'm content. You're existence is the root of my happiness. I can only hope it's the same for you."

Hermione spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "You've done the same for me as well. Your smile, your life… it's the only music I hear."

**Cos when I look at my life  
How the pieces fall into place  
It just wouldn't rhyme without you  
When I see how my path  
Seem to end up before your face  
The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Was written in the stars  
**

His voice was serious now. "I suppose this is an incredibly long proposal, but I felt the urge to say it. Hell, it isn't even the same speech I've been practicing for the past few weeks, but this one is much better. I wanted to tell you how I feel about you, how you're my light when I'm in the darkness, but I've been dragging this long enough."

He looked directly at her face, memorizing every freckle, every angle of her face. "Hermione Jane Granger," he said, stroking her hand while his gaze never wavered from her. "Will you marry me?"

**I made a few mistakes, yeah  
Like sometimes we do  
Been through lot of heartache  
But I made it back to you**

"Yes," she said, tears finally spilling over. "Oh, yes!"

Slipping the ring onto her finger, he laughed merrily. George cradled her face in his hands, his lips meeting hers. She responded back feverishly, passionately. Everything that they wanted to say to each other, every word that wanted to escape from their mouth melted in the deep kiss. They understood what each other was trying to say in this exchange.

Finally, they broke apart for air. Sitting next to her, he wiped off the tears that were rolling down her face tenderly. "I love you," he said simply, burying his face in her curly hair.

"I love you too."

**Cos when I look at my life  
How the pieces fall into place  
It just wouldn't rhyme without you  
And when I see how my path  
Seem to end up before your face  
The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Was written in the stars**

The stars were twinkling above them, as if to show them that they approved of what they did. They shone brighter than they would, and the moon was smiling down at them with its broad grin. It reminded him of Fred.

Tranquilly, he smiled back fully, perfectly happy. It was truly a perfect, magical moment- fate, destiny, nature, and love was harmonized, working together to make this happen. 'Thank you,' he thought sincerely, facing the sky.

**When I look at my life  
How the pieces fall into place  
It just wouldn't rhyme without you  
When I see how my path  
Seem to end up before your face  
The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Was written in the stars**

Realizing the time, he reluctantly woke a half-awake Hermione- his fiancé! - and Apparated with her, cradling her in his arms. With a loud _pop, _he managed to arrive in The Burrow. Seeing nobody around, he carried her up to Ginny's room (as Ginny had already moved in with Harry, much to his mother's displeasure) and gingerly laid her on her bed.

Kissing her on her forehead, he tucked the blankets under her chin, and walked out, slowly trudging up to his own room. Not bothering to change out of his clothes, he fell asleep on his bed, soon snoring loudly with a shadow of a laugh still etched on his face.

**The state of my heart  
The place where we are  
Was written in the stars**

Mrs. Weasley still stood by the window, gone unnoticed by her son. She played with her own ring that was on her left hand, humming softly. Mrs. Weasley smiled affectionately as she too, went to her room, remembering seeing a tiny glimmer on her soon to be daughter-in-law's finger standing out in the velvet darkness. She closed her eyes as she cuddled up to her husband, dreaming of small red haired twin children with soft brown eyes.


	3. Down To My Last

**Disclamer: **I don't own Harry Potter, and the beautiful song is by Alter Bridge called Down To My Last.

**A/N:** Okay, I'm super sorry that this is such a late update! It's just that the words wouldn't flow naturally (I still don't really like the beginning part; I only like it when the song starts ). Also, what with the site crashing, I lost all my reviews, so I felt discouraged for a while. I just really hope you'll like this chapter... man, one more chapter after this, and it's the end. I feel sad, somehow... this is the only fiction I have that actually has more than one chapter. Nonetheless, it's time to let it go after a chapter after this...

The magnificent Hogwarts train held different meanings to every student and person. Some regarded it with awe, imagining the beginning adventure of their first year in Hogwarts, others viewed it as a start of a new year of laughter and homework, love and tears, and there were people who looked upon it with a dull feel of melancholy and joy, knowing that it would be their last year to ever ride the train as a proud student of Hogwarts ever again.

The station was bustling with activity and noise with the atmosphere charged with anticipation and restlessness. Families were talking to one another, friends introduced their parents to their mates, and little children were eying their older siblings in envy and wonder. It was an atmosphere so delightful and sweet that hundreds of Dementors would have flown away from the amount of happiness and love there was.

In the midst of the crowd, a large group of red heads could be spotted; if one didn't know better, they would say that they looked like a clan. And, according to George, that's what they were; a clan of Weasley's (minus one Potter). The whole Weasley families, along with his mum and dad, were in the station with their own family and children.

Tired of often calling, "Oi, Weasley family!" and having different brothers and kids chorus, "What?" in response, George announced to everyone at their weekly Burrow dinners about classifying everyone into groups. There was the "Lovegood-Weasley" consisting of Ron and Luna's family, "Delacour-Weasley" with Bill and Fleur's kids, "Hemperly-Weasley" which was Percy and Audrey and their children, Charlie and his family were "Carlson-Weasley", and finally there was "Granger-Weasley", his own pride and joy. The whole family rather found it amusing and agreed it was clever, despite the fact that none of their family chose to have their mother's maiden name stuck to "Weasley".

He and Hermione had three children: Fred and Greg, who were identical twins, were going to be in their seventh year today, Tyler was going to attend his fifth, and Rose was finally entering her first year in Hogwarts. An ending for two, a beginning for one, and a middle for another; a nice balance, in his opinion. He was content on how they had brought up their children. Yes, perhaps the twins often teased Tyler because he was in Ravenclaw, and maybe Tyler was indifferent to his only sister at times, but they were good at heart. The twins never hesitated to hex the next person who dared to insult Tyler, their friends, or anyone else, and Tyler constantly watched out for Rose and was often the first person who came to her aid whenever she was hurt or afraid.

No matter what anybody said, George felt incredibly blessed. Even if he did lose an ear, a handful of his friends, and not to mention his very own twin brother, he was grateful for the Heavens to give him Hermione and their family.

Hermione.

Merlin, whenever he looked at her, she still managed to take his breath away. Her thick hair was pulled up in a ponytail with tiny, invisible specks of silver. Right now, she was staring at him with those twinkling brown eyes, a smile tugging at her lips as if she knew what he was thinking. Hell, most likely she did know; over the years, she had gotten to know him even better, and as clichéd it might sound, it was like they understood what they were saying through their eyes.

He was falling in love with her every day, if that was even possible.

"Ew," Tyler said, rolling his eyes. George broke off his gaze from his wife, and glared at him. "Make googly eyes at each other when we're not here or something."

Everyone laughed good-humouredly. The twins spoke up, a mischievous glint in their eyes.

"'Googly'?" Repeated Fred, shaking his head in exaggerated sadness. "I expected you to use a better term for it, dear brother, seeing that you're in Ravenclaw and all."

"Perhaps the word 'ogle' at each other would be better," Greg suggested, clapping Tyler's shoulder cheerfully.

"Or maybe 'sending each other sexual looks'-,"

"Enough!" Hermione spoke, her hands on her hips though a reluctant smile played at her lips. Before they could say another word, the Hogwarts train suddenly hooted loudly, causing everybody to jump in surprise. Holding back her laughter from seeing Ron sprawled on the floor after falling over a suitcase, she started to usher their children in, and everybody followed her lead. With one last screech, the train came to life, slow gaining speed until it was chugging its way out into the countryside.

Sighing, Hermione turned to George, sighing heavily. "They're all grown up now," she sniffed, leaning against his body. He squeezed her shoulders reassuringly, his eyes still lingering on the spot where the train stood. As corny as it sounded, he silently agreed that the years passed by too quickly to count; it seemed like just yesterday when the twins were toddling around trying to eat anything they could grab.

"Sorry to disturb you guys, but we're leaving," Harry said, grinning at them knowingly. He gave Hermione a tight hug, clapped George on the back, and Apparated home with his wife. One by one, everyone started popping away. Grabbing his wife's hand, he Apparated them away to their house.

They both staggered until they regained their balance. Hermione stretched, planting a kiss on George's mouth before she went to the bathroom, cheerfully humming on the way. Chuckling, he went down to the basement which everyone called 'The Lair'. It was the place where most of the Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes products were being invented, fixed, or getting ready for stock. The children were forbidden to enter without their permission ever since Tyler had mistakenly eaten a Sneezing Fruit ('Make your teachers sneeze!') and hadn't stopped sneezing for a whole day.

Walking over to his working desk, he fixed the crooked frame that hung on the wall, his fingers lingering slightly over his family's happy faces. Fred and Greg were six, Tyler was four, and Rose wasn't born yet, a bump in Hermione's belly. Now his eldest children were in their last year, and going to graduate into the real world in less than a year.

The rattling of cups behind him made George turn around, and saw Hermione standing with two cups of tea. He placed them down on the desk and wrapped his arms around her slender waist, hugging her close to him as he buried his face into her ever-bushy hair. She sighed in contentment, her arms holding George's waist as well. He suddenly chuckled at a thought; she looked up to meet his eyes, bemused.

"You know, we've never been to a graduation at Hogwarts before," he said, grinning. It was true- Fred and he never got to graduate, and Hermione was on the run with Harry and Ron when she was supposed to be attending her last year at Hogwarts. She nodded in agreement, a wistful expression falling on her face.

"It's alright," she said softly after a moment of silence. She gave him a chaste kiss before continuing. "It'll be a first for all of us."

Autumn changed to winter, winter turned to spring, and finally spring transformed to summer. Groups of adults sat in white chairs, all holding mixed emotions that are heavy in their hearts; a few mothers are already teary, reminiscing the times when their child was a baby, a beautiful living baby that had only their parents to depend on. Now they were adults, ready to face whatever life had in store for them in stride.

Hermione and George sat in the front row, experiencing a graduation for the first time.

_And to those to which we sing,  
We are honored you let us in  
I remember the thoughts of many things,  
Of the glory that you bring_

The crowd is hushed when the headmistress, Professor McGonagall, stood tall and confident behind the podium, spoke of the struggles everybody had to go through, of pranks and love, fights and reunions. She congratulated the year, wishing them the best of luck in a journey that is going to be different for each and every person. When she finished, a mad applause rings through the huge room, echoing.

_I was never the right one to dare to dream,  
It's funny what this life has done to me now  
You were always the only,  
To help me see there was a road I must find,  
A road that was mine_

Next, the Head Girl and Head Boy came up to the stage, each delivering a speech of their own. Their eyes sparkled with the memories and passion for their classmates, talking about how from teeny first years, everyone blossoming into women and men that are able to handle burdens and joy, knowing how to depend on their friends yet knowing how to be independent. Another round of clapping is heard as they announced the student representatives of each House to step up and speak on behalf of their house.

_But I'm down to my last,  
I'm standing here alone  
Looking back, on it all  
But I'm down to my last,  
I'm ready but I'm wrong,  
And I'm blind too_

Much to their surprise, their own children, Fred and Greg, walked merrily on stage, each standing firmly behind a tall mike that suddenly appears in their hands. After much throat clearing on Fred's behalf, his blue eyes scanned the massive crowd until they landed on his watery eyed parents. He grinned, and finally started to talk after Greg blatantly poked him in the ribs, causing a rumble of laughter to erupt from the audience.

_And to the world to which we sing,  
Want to try to do us in  
I remember your name and I know your face  
Can't forgive and can't erase_

"Through all these years, every student had felt the pressure and stress as our wonderful professors taught us thoroughly, shaping us for the unknown. We've cried, laughed, yelled, and broken a few bones, but we Gryffindors are proud to end our final year with a great note. Winning the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup, playing some really good pranks, even making the teachers feel like we weren't a lost cause… those are the memories that will be imprinted in our minds forever." Fred paused, and Greg filled in for him.

"The reason why we're still in one piece is because of our support from our families. Without their words of encouragement, we wouldn't have made past the first week of Hogwarts in our first year. Through hardships and tantrums, our parents are the ones who take it all in, accepting our faults and weaknesses as they pushed us to become who were are today. We all know that we love them and owe them everything, though we don't always voice them out sometimes." Greg smiled at all the parents. "That's why, after we get our diplomas, after this whole ceremony is over, not only the Gryffindor House, but the whole year, I'm sure, will rush over to you guys, give you a great big hug, and say 'I love you'."

Behind him, every head nodded in agreement. Today wasn't a day where everyone was differentiated because of their House, race, or gender; this was a day when every single body was unified in thoughts and feelings. It was a glorious day.

_I was never the right one  
To bear the weight of something fueled by words  
I'd learn to hate  
You were always the only  
To help me see that to love is to shine  
In your world, blind_

"Now we're going to be selfish and thank our parents, because we know that the other reps of their respective Houses are going to do so as well," Fred said, and three students laughed, clearly not minding.

"I, Fred Weasley, stand here now because of these two people, my heroes, my role models... my parents. Without your help and guidance, Mom, I would've struggled to even graduate." He paused as the audience chuckled softly, and he shot a grin at a tearful Hermione. "Without your crazy ideas and jokes, Dad, I wouldn't have been the most cheerful kid alive. Both of you have been the most inspirational parents, and one day, I will repay back the times of joy and love you have given me, to show you how grateful I am to be one of your children. I love you guys." With his red hair high in the hair with pride, he walked off the podium, high fiving his mates.

Greg rolled his eyes, and opened his mouth. "I, Gregory Weasley, would've made a brilliant speech, but my oh-so-charming brother has stolen it from me." He casted a woeful look at his audience. "However, one thing I must say is, I love you, Mom and Dad. Thanks- for everything." Conjuring two flowers, he made them fall onto his parents' laps.

_But I'm down to my last  
I'm standing here alone  
Looking back on it all  
But I'm down to my last  
I'm ready but I'm wrong  
And I'm right too_

George watched Greg take his position as well, getting a huge round of applause. The next three representatives said their speech, each having the same context but sounding so different from one another that it was like a new story every time. Finally, Professor McGonagall took the stage once more, and started announcing each student's names. He heard multiple sobs and sniffs coming from every parent, and when the twin's names were called, he couldn't help but choke back some proud tears. Hermione's own tears were cascading down quickly, creating a small puddle on her skirt. He patted her shoulder in condolence.

_But I'm down to my last  
Well I'm ready but I'm wrong,  
And I'm scared of it all_

It was noticeable that every person in the room was holding their breaths when the Headmistress called out loudly, announcing the ending of the ceremony. "I give you, the class of 2017!"

The grand ceiling shook from the roar of cheers and shouts as the newly-graduates pulled off their hats and threw it in the air, yelling back, "The class of 2017!" Like a stampede, the students stormed down the stage and rushed to their parents, screaming themselves hoarse as they told them that they loved them or crying in their arms in both joy and sadness, for now they were going to go down to a road of their own, where their family would still be there, but not a big portion of it. Old friends hugged each other fiercely, promising letters and arranging meetings, not knowing whether they would be separated forever or meet again. It was hard for anyone to imagine a life without their permanent anchors of friends and family.

_But I'm down to my last  
I'm ready but I'm wrong  
And I'm blind too  
But I'm down to my last  
And I'm ready but I'm wrong  
And I'm blind too_

"It's the end," Hermione whispered, her tears still flowing. "It's really the end." George pulled her up from her seat and gave her a small kiss on her temple. He caught the sight of their children, and waved them over enthusiastically.

"No, Hermione," he replied, squeezing her hand before he let go, raising his arms to hug his sons who now broke into a full run, eager to reach their family. "It's only just begun."


End file.
